


Accident Prone

by Blindsunshine



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Australian Slang, Car Accidents, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, I mean its junkrat we're talking about, Love/Hate, Musician!Reader, Reader-Insert, She/her pronouns, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Swearing, rated M for possible future themes, will add more tags as the story progresses, will likely edit things a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-14 20:31:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13597812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blindsunshine/pseuds/Blindsunshine
Summary: Despite all the chaos that London was burning with around you, you managed to keep your life on King’s Row an ordinary one. Getting by with your passion for music while keeping as far away from your country’s ever-growing crisis. But not even you could have avoided the medically induced coma you ensued from two Junkers and their motorcycle running you over.The legendary Overwatch had saved you, even if their agents almost killed you. But now that meant that you couldn’t leave their sights.Stuck with an organisation you wanted nothing apart of, you could only curse the Junkers that put you in this position. And oh boy were you going to make your hatred towards them known.





	1. How it began

**Author's Note:**

> So, I feel into Overwatch hell and now I'm madly in love with a certain Junker.
> 
> I started writing this on a whim and I'm super motivated to keep this work going! I really hope you enjoy reading as much as I do writing. This is actually my first reader-insert fic so I'm probably not going to be good ;;; forgive me uwu;;; 
> 
> Edit: As a perfectionist, I am never satisfied with anything. So I'll be going through and editing chapters to improve them a little. No drastic changes, but just a warning!

_‘… Recently, reports from officials have told that suspicious Omnic activity is now increasing. Hundreds of omnic residents just this week have undergone arrests and several others are being called in for unknown reasons. The public’s response to the slander against Omnics has shown backlash, as violent protests are continuing to develop. The major of which being held in King’s Row and other large areas of London. Many of the UK’s residents want to call into question the treatment and rights of our peaceful omnic residents. The Prime Minister and other government officials have yet to address this issue, which is showing to only fuel the public’s anger even more…’_

_“Omnics, eh? What are they up to this time?”_

_“Nothing, of course, it’s the government. They’re all corrupt and hate omnics. And now they’re trying to brainwash us into hating them too.”_

_“That’s ridiculous, they’re only looking out for us. Do you know what they did to us and our families, the **last time** we trusted them?”_

_“That was in the past. It’s different now.”_

_“When will these protests stop?”_

The streets of London were not so forgiving on the chilly evenings of late February. The snow had been continuously falling for days now, and there was not a sign that it would stop soon. Seeing the vast city of London, coated in white was a truly beautiful sight. But with the snow came difficulty, and with difficulty, came grumpy people.

As you casually strolled through Piccadilly Circus, you overheard the voice of the news reporter, her face displayed on the tall billboard. Her voice boomed down to the crowds of people below, and as her words continued, the voices around you seemed to grow rowdier. As you couldn’t help but catch the snippets of their reactions among the bustling onlookers.

The Human and Omnic tensions were just about the only thing the news ever featured these days. And it was never anything positive about it. Despite there being such an awareness that the problem was only worsening, nothing ever seemed to change. Protests ensued, the police fought back, and the government kept their silence on the whole matter.

Listening to their debates, you couldn’t help but think about the situation for yourself. Humans or Omnics? Why does anyone honestly care? The world we live in is a different one now. Both machine and human play a part in everyone’s daily life. It’s just the way things have become. The sooner people could accept that the sooner everyone would be better off.

There was a part deep inside of yourself that wanted to tell that to the ignorant onlookers. But you knew that not a single person would listen to anything some no-good kid had to say anyway, and besides, getting involved in these matters wasn’t your thing.

It was better that way, as you did yourself some good staying out of it all. You were not some kind of hero, and you didn’t intend on becoming one. You’d learned the hard way that life wasn't kind to those who always tried to do the right thing. Those that try to fight against the impossible. Rather, life seemed to punish those types. Putting them through more hardship, bringing even more death and pain. So you avoided it, and maybe that made you a weak person, but in the end, it didn’t matter. What mattered was surviving. And all you wanted in this life was to survive and keep living normally.

_‘… This is a warning to all who are in central London this evening. Junkrat and Roadhog, the names of the two notorious criminal Junkers that stole the Queen’s crown Jewels following their crime spree last year, have reported having been spotted loitering in the King’s Row area. These reports have yet to be confirmed but the Police Force is on standby in case of any attacks. It is heavily recommended not to walk the streets alone and stay indoors until it is confirmed whether they are within the area. More news to follow…”_

Besides, who really wanted to be some loud-mouthed, rule-breaker anyway?

 

...

 

The cold did not let up as you trudged through the thickly layered snow on your journey back to your apartment. Silently cursing to yourself for not having chosen a place that was closer to work. But you couldn’t really complain too much about the place you had now. Living on King’s Row might not exactly be the cheeriest of experiences, but that was exactly why you struck an amazing deal on what should have been, a place way out of your budget. It wasn’t like it was a particularly bad neighbourhood, in fact, it was pretty high end. Had its own police force as well as a wide variety of shops and entertainment close by. But that is only what it seemed like on the surface, in reality, a lot of dark things had happened here in both the past and present day.

It first started with the King’s Row uprising that took place only around 8 years ago. During the Null Sector uprising, right in this neighbourhood hundreds had died, and thousands were injured, both omnic and human alike. And if that wasn’t tragic enough, even after it survived that attack, the legendary peace-keeper and Omnic-rights activist, Mondatta, was assassinated. Right here, as he was giving his speech. And that was _only recently_. Of course, there were also the slums that the Omnics had since been forced to live in, the constant protests that ensued from that, and apparently when some Australians caused a bit of damage when they came through here.

It was safe to say; King’s Row might have been the most depressing place to live in the whole United Kingdom, maybe even the world. But even despite its bloody history, it hadn’t been enough to scare you away. You had needed a home, you were young and not exactly in the most reliable job. There was not an option to be picky, and King’s Row now at least had both stylish and cheaper apartments. In your mind, you just figured this was a place that had a seriously horrible curse set upon it. Curses didn’t scare you.

If you kept getting by just as you were, you couldn’t imagine anything bad might happen to you. You just wanted to live a normal life. Free of anything too extraordinary or too weird. Wars, assassinations, arsons; getting yourself involved in the middle of all that was a death wish. So, sure, you ignored most stuff. Obviously not getting involved in the whole Human vs Omnic tensions, but also for anything else that was similar. It was not your concern. For you, life was survival of the fittest. The world was only out for itself, and so you’d play by its rules. You weren’t fair just like life hadn’t been fair to you. Sure, good people might have existed, people like the soldiers that stopped the war. Or the local heroes that stand by to protest for the omnics. Kind of like you had been taught you should do, but in the end, you learned to do the opposite was better for everyone. You might be selfish, you might be cold. But life was not about to make you some hero, and so you would continue to go about your life as normal as you could.

You’d continue to avoid glances with the helpless Omnics; continue to shut your curtains when the protesters came out; continue to plop in your headphones or strum your guitar when the riot vans would pull up outside. Going about your everyday life, while simultaneously avoiding all the chaos that was burning around you.

You told yourself it was survival. That this was how things had to be. And not a single damn thing was going to get in the way of it. 

If it was even possible, the snow seemed to grow deeper the closer to home you reached. The roads were deserted as you could not imagine any sane person would think to try and drive in these conditions. Most of the roads were basically ice anyway, no accident was worth the risk of a quicker journey. Only now were you actually thankful you did not have to deal with the hassle of owning your own car. 

The same emptiness of the roads could be said of the sidewalks too. The heart of the city where you had just walked from was, of course, constantly booming with people like it would be in any kind of weather. But now that you’d taken to the quieter side-streets, it was completely devoid of any other life. You were not so far from King’s Row now and you took solace in the silence that surrounded you. As it was a very rare occurrence to find silence in the city.

You could spot the tall clock-tower from your position now, its idle hands keeping time locked into place. And now that you had a view of the time, you suddenly realised how late it had become. Wait, was it really 8 o’clock already? You knew in winter that the skies turned dark much earlier and so that often threw you off, but you hadn’t even realised how much time had really flown by. You probably got too caught up at work, again. But it was easy to lose a grip on time when you were soaked up in your music.  

You hurriedly attempted to quicken your footsteps, as hard as it was in all this snow. Scrambling for your headphones as you took them out of your pockets and plopped them in, switching to an upbeat tune to help speed up your pace. Now that you thought about it, you remembered reading about headphones were only wireless back in the old days. With your now completely wireless kit, that seemed almost as tragic as it was funny. As the music began to fill your ears, you instantly recognised the tune as one of the remixes from that famous Brazilian DJ, Lucio. His genre wasn’t usually your most preferred style, but his soundtracks were nevertheless inspiring as they were amazing. So, you’d downloaded the rare few.

He was only a fairly new artist in the world, as well as one of the rare good ones these days. He had almost instantly become a worldwide hit when he made his debut in Brazil and was probably even more popular for his well-known kind and giving personality. He was also well known to be a freedom fighter, having spent his life dealing with the poor conditions of his country. Very much the opposite of what you were, he was a hero.

But despite that fact, you had one big similarity you shared. That being that you both loved music, and with a much bigger gap between you, were artists. You had to admire the fact that he used music to help promote his message, but you could never do the same. Music was your _life_ , probably the only thing in the world you could be so wholeheartedly passionate about. But you were only a small artist and intended to keep it that way. You wrote a few songs only for yourself and performed only at local bars in the city. Maybe if you were like Lucio, you would use your passion for music to spread a message. But you loved music, for music. And never wanted to use it for any other reason than that.

However, as of recently, it seemed like the DJ had gone silent. There were no new releases, no new concert dates or any appearances. He had disappeared off the face of the earth, somewhat. He had been leaving small messages to his fans to let them know he was okay, and he’d be back soon. But it was still strange nonetheless, considering his personality was always about wanting to help the world and spread positive messages. But you supposed even superstars got slumps, and besides, the concerns of some DJ were not yours anyway.

Right now, the cold was urging you to get inside to your warm bed with a warm meal. Maybe strum a few beats on your guitar and focus on a new song. Either way, it was going to be a completely normal night. Out of trouble, out of the conflict. Just you and yourself and nothing to stand in your way. This was how it was always going to be, you didn't know whether that really made you happy or sad, but for now you enjoyed it. 

You hummed along to Lucio’s beats as your boots carved their way quickly through the fluffy snow. Shutting your eyes as you silently smiled to yourself. Nothing could ruin your content moment right now, as you childishly kicked the snow with your soggy boots. Thinking of home and all the security it gave you.

So, of course, you did not hear the roaring of the heavy engine echoing with ferocity in the distant alleyway. Nor the sounds of large wheels which screeched along the slippery, icy roads. The cackling of maniacal laughter was drowned out by the music flowing through your ears, as you obliviously continued your journey home. Naively thinking about that dinner you were going to make, about the normal night that you thought awaited you, the happiness at swelled inside of you of getting home and leaving these cold roads. How you would sleep through tomorrow and awake to another normal day, no interruptions, no crazy experiences, no trouble.

How truly naive you had really been.

It was too late by the time you noticed. Even when you suddenly felt that strange and indescribable sensation wash over you in a cold sweat. Like an impending doom that could not be avoided. You opened your eyes but saw the same empty streets before you, the snow still layered on the ground and leaving everything in sight a white paradise. That same rhythm still overlapped all your other senses. You slowed your steps to try and overcome this dreadful feeling, but that was when you heard it, over your music and everything else, _that voice._

“Roadie, LOOK OUT!!”

… What?

Suddenly the world was moving in slow motion. You turned your head, and a blaring white light filled your vision before it snapped into darkness. For a brief few seconds, agonizing pain shot through your body. But then it was gone, your senses were dull, the darkness pulled you in.

The music stopped.


	2. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of deliberations on this chapter, changed a few things, but I hope it flows well!
> 
> Also, I'm absolutely terrible when it comes to chapter titles, so I'm so sorry for the cringe that will evidently ensue.

The steady and gentle buzz of the fan hummed along with your shallow and deep breaths. With the beeping of the heart monitor flowing into a rhythmic beat, playing along to the otherwise natural noises. It would have been eerily silent if not for those small sounds, as the room was almost deserted completely, except for you who lay in the middle. The walls were a bare, dullish white, suffocating the room in a bleak atmosphere. There was the heart monitor, a few other pieces of medical equipment nearby, the tall fan swaying in the corner, and a bouquet of fresh orchids, sitting out of place in the sombre room on a table by the bedside. Then there was you, on the bed that was placed in the middle of the room. Laying on the bed, unmoving until you finally awoke.

Your eyes opened slowly, still confused and dazed as they met with the emptiness of an unfamiliar ceiling. Everything at first was blurry, as your weak irises attempted to bring things into focus. It took you a few moments, blinking rapidly until you could feel your vision finally clear. Your eyes remained cast up at that blank celling for some time, body feeling like lead as you tried to get a grip on your consciousness before shifting your neck to survey your surroundings. You managed to turn your head to the side, and it was impossible not to notice all the medical equipment right by you. Strangely enough, however, what immediately caught your attention was the beautiful bouquet of orchids close to your side. Their vibrant, lilac colour pulling you in for a few moments, before you decided to try to look around the rest of the room. Your whole head felt heavy, but slowly you were able to gather enough awareness to realise your situation right now.

You were in a hospital and for what reason, you could not yet remember. But, if you managed to collect your thoughts a little more, you might be able to figure that part out.

From what you detected, there was a mask covering your face and all sorts of wires prodding into different parts of your body. Bandages could be felt wrapped tightly around large sections of your skin. Mostly around your neck, your upper arms, you could even feel them along your thighs. The severity of your situation had not yet sunk in, but it was obvious now that you were seriously injured.

After growing impatient of remaining in the same position, you attempted to sit up despite your body’s protests. Your limbs felt dull and heavy, and with each slight movement, it sent a painful ache through your joints.

You decided to take it slow, only using small movements at first until you felt yourself get the hang of it. Firstly using an arm to reach up and remove the mask from your face, which had obviously been helping the oxygen to flow through your bloodstream. You inhaled deeply, soaking up the dry air of the room. Your throat felt incredibly sore, and you suspected it could be something related to the bandages wrapped around your neck. But there was no use overthinking anything just yet, instead focussed on at least sitting your body up.

It took quite a bit of effort, pain and physical strain but you somehow managed to rest against the headboard at the top of the bed. Panting when you finally managed to position yourself accordingly. Now, you could think about exactly why you were here and just what had happened to you.

Your last memories took you to your walk back to your apartment, when you were on your way back from work. The snow was everywhere, ice beginning to harden in most places. Both the streets and roads were completely empty. The snow kept everyone in, as it had seemed. And you could not find anything out if the ordinary that stuck out in those few moments. So just how exactly had you got here? A thousand scenarios ran through your mind, but the patches of your memory were still fuzzy, and you feared it might be impossible to recall the events that brought you here. However, unbeknown to you, you had a guardian angel.

The door to the room had suddenly swung open, in walking a woman with creamy blonde hair and striking blue eyes. She was dressed in a professional white lab coat, a familiar looking symbol etched across its chest pocket, which you thought you recognised but could not recall where from. Small glasses framed her soft eyes and she held a clipboard in hand with piles of paper layered upon it. Her eyes were drawn to its contents as she sauntered in until her gaze met yours and her expression shifted to slight surprise before a smile graced her elegant features.

“You’re awake…! I didn’t expect it would be so soon… for a while there, we weren’t really sure how it was going to work out.”

Her heels clicked as she approached your bedside, plopping the clipboard down at the end of the bed and now concentrating all her attention on you. Eyes casting between you and the monitors positioned by your bedside.  

“Heart rate is stable… blood levels are normal… you seem to be breathing fine without the oxygen supply… hmm, maybe…”

She mumbled to herself as she checked the areas of your body, and you chose to remain silent. Whether shocked at her nonchalant attitude or her striking beauty, you were not sure. But you thought that maybe you needed to speak up to avoid any more confusion.

“Excuse me…”

She almost seemed startled at your words, as if she had only just registered that you were indeed conscious. A smile sprung across her lips once more as she gazed down at you with every bit of patience and concern laced in her expression.

“My apologies, you must be quite startled. I’m just so glad to see you’re awake and alright. Do you remember anything about what happened at all? Are you feeling alright?”

You couldn’t match her kind expression, as you quietly replied to her questions.

“I’m fine besides some pain… but I’m fine. I can’t seem to remember anything about why I’m here. What on earth… happened to me?”

Your head throbbed as you thought back on the memory. Feeling your mind straining to even recall such small events, and it added even more to the worry building up inside you.

“Everything is just a blank after I was walking back to my apartment, please tell me what’s going on, Doctor… um?”

“Ziegler. Angela Ziegler. Though some call me Mercy, anything you prefer is just fine. It’s a pleasure to finally introduce myself.”

She held out a hand and you timidly shook it, giving her a light smile before she continued.

“To answer your concerns… I’ll explain it as simply as I can, so you can process it easily. You were involved in a car crash, a car- or I should say, a large motorcycle, accidentally crashed right into you while you were on your walk home. It was a very serious accident, and it left you in critical condition. With the sheer force, you’d been hit with… it was a miracle you had even survived the initial impact. With your condition, there was no other choice but to perform an emergency surgery as quick as possible. It was essential to your life- you would have died if we had not proceeded as quickly as we did, and I simply _couldn’t_ let that happen. You went through the surgery and came out fine, but it meant you had to be put under a medically induced coma for a short period of time. Since then it’s been 2 weeks and we’ve been monitoring you closely… most of your injuries have been able to recover in that time and everything should be stable. I know how scary this must all seem… but you’ve been very strong. You’ll be alright now, you’ll live.”

You took her words with a heavy heart. You were in a severe accident… you almost died… and all you were doing was simply going about your usual business. Perhaps you really were naive to think something like this would never happen to you, yet everyone thinks that. But it can happen to anyone, it happened to you and you just got unlucky.

You noticed Dr Ziegler’s expression shift slightly, turning to you with an apologetic look as she continued.

“However most importantly… I must deeply apologise. This procedure you were put through was dangerous and very risky, and all done without your consent. If you are upset about this, you have every right to be. I intend to take full responsibility for these actions. As I was the one who ordered the surgery… as well as the one who performed it. A doctor should never do such a thing without consent, but in that moment, we were all quite panicked. And I couldn’t bear to see such a young life taken away when I knew I had even the slightest chance to save you.”

Despite barely knowing this woman, to you, her words seemed completely sincere. She wanted to save you so desperately. So desperately, that she had been willing to break one of her own moral codes as a doctor. Of course, that could not have possibly upset you. This woman risked a lot just for someone like you. And because of that, you did not know whether you felt sad or happy for yourself.  

You held up a hand to pause her speech, directing her your most sincere expression.

“Doctor Ziegler, please don’t worry. You risked a lot for me, someone you don’t even know. And I can’t feel anything but gratitude for how much you risked. I’m glad I’m here… I’m glad I’m alive, and it’s all thanks to you.”

That seemed to shift the sombre tension that was between you. As your doctor recovered from her apologetic glances with a relieved sigh. However, while you now knew the reason you were here… there were still many more things that still had not been cleared up.

“But… that doesn’t answer all my questions just yet, Doctor.”

“Ah, of course. What else would you like to know?”

“Well, I know I had an accident, now I’m in the hospital and you’re my doctor but…”

You paused.

“Where exactly am I?”

Unexpectedly, your question seemed to provoke a small look of panic from the doctor. Like she had one of the most unprepared answers to give you out of anything else you could have asked.

Silence fell between the two of you and you felt an awkward tension shift through the air. And despite not asking anything outrageous or unnecessary, you suddenly wished you had not asked.

“Well... you see… um- “

Whatever she was about to say, she didn’t get the chance to, as suddenly the door clicked open behind her cutting off her remaining words. And the last thing you could ever have possibly expected stood in the doorway.

A giant, glasses-wearing gorilla, with a lab coat same as Dr Ziegler’s covering its towering form. Barely fitting through the doorway as it attempted to squeeze its way inside. Its eyes a bright amber colour, searching around the room until they met with your own gaze. Suddenly pausing in place at the bewildered expression you were sure was obviously plastered all over your face.

You were not sure whether to scream, cry, or even laugh. But you knew one thing for sure, today was probably going to be one of the most bizarre days of your entire life.

The creature remained in its place, staring at you with that same intensity. It’s dark and fearsome figure practically blocking up the whole doorway. The glasses framed across its huge features, that lab coat which tucked away most of its hair. A gorilla. A real gorilla. Stood in your hospital room like it was the most natural thing in the whole world.

Your eyes went frighteningly wide, focus completely away from your Doctor as you gazed at the creature. Dr Ziegler suddenly noticed your attention shift, turning her head to follow your gaze and giving the most unexpected response.

“Oh, Winston!”

For a moment you suspected maybe this gorilla was her pet, as insane as that was to imagine. However, if the mere sight of the creature was enough to cause your panic, what came next, frightened you more than anything else. As the gorilla named Winston tore his intense gaze away from you and directed the Doctor a soft smile.

“Hello there!”

It spoke.

You would not be surprised if bewilderment was written all over your face at this point. But there was an animal in your room, a _huge_ one at that. And better yet, he spoke words as normally as any human could. The small moment of anxiety and utter disbelief you were experiencing was short-lived, however, as the Gorilla’s expression shifted to a sheepish look. Readjusting the small glasses on his face with those huge fingers, before turning to you again and this time properly addressing you.  

“Now I know you’re probably pretty panicked right now. But if it’s of any help to calm you down… I just want to say, I am not here to eat you.”

Winston’s voice was deep but surprisingly very soft and warm. And despite being such a huge creature, the tone of his voice indicated that he was rather awkward and shy. It certainly had not eased all of your anxiety just yet, but being reassured that he was not a direct threat did put you less on edge.  

Your tense muscles relaxed, and he noticed. His own posture visibly relaxing at the sight. Dr Zeigler, who you noticed was still by your side, gave an exasperated sigh at the whole interaction.

“Winston… didn’t I warn you about coming to see her so soon after she awoke? Of course, everyone knows your circumstances here, but the whole world won’t exactly have the same reaction, you know.”

She cast Winston a disapproving look, but not one of malice. More like a gentle scolding a mother would give to a child who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Winston coughed awkwardly, now having closed the door behind him as he walked- or well, crawled to your bedside.  

“I know, I know. But she was going to meet me sooner or later. You know she’s going to have a lot of questions… we agreed I’d answer them. You’ve already been through a lot of pressure already, Angela. I don’t want to put this on you too.”  

“Well if you say so… thank you, Winston. But are you sure you’ll be alright? Are _you_ alright, dear?”

At her second question she turned to you, which had obviously been directed your way. Giving you an empathetic look, as if she knew all the emotions you were currently experiencing. 

“Well… um…”

You didn’t know what you could have possibly said. Ever since you had woken up, things just seemed to get even more confusing. Just why was Dr Zeigler so kind? Why was there a talking Gorilla? Just _who_ exactly were these people, and where the hell were you?

However, all those questions failed to leave your lips, as you stared expectantly at the two strangers before you. You felt like you might be going crazy, but now all you wanted was answers. And you were hoping that either of these two would help to give you them.  

Suddenly, Winston stepped in. Placing his large hand over Dr. Ziegler’s shoulder, silently urging her to give you and him some space. She took the message, giving you another apologetic glance, but made sure to attempt to ease your worries somewhat by pairing it with reassuring words.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I know this isn’t easy now, but I promise, Winston will answer all the questions you might have. You can trust him. We’ll see each other soon, make sure not to strain yourself.”

And with that she turned to leave, her heels clicking as she silently closed the door and left you and Winston in silence. And it remained in silence for a awkward few moments. You could feel the obvious tension seeping through the air, and it made you feel uncomfortable. But then, almost out of nowhere Winston spoke up and seemed to eradicate it all in that single moment.

“Well… this is awkward.”

You couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. This really was one hell of a day. Not only could this Gorilla talk, but he was actually pretty adorable too. If that was his attempt to make you relax a little more, it certainly worked. As he let out a small chuckle of his own and turned to you with a big smile.

“I should introduce myself properly. My name is Winston! Hello! I’m a genetically engineered Gorilla and scientist who came from the moon. Quite a crazy story… I know. I wouldn’t blame you If you don’t believe me. But its really true!”

A large and hairy hand suddenly thrust in front of you, and you paused for a moment before realising he was actually wanting to shake your hand. You did try your best to give a normal handshake. But of course, your own hand could barely wrap around even one of his fingers. You smiled either way at his consideration. But the smile didn’t remain long. As much as you appreciated what was being done for you here… there was still the lingering worry that was gnawing at your mind. You had to know where you were, you needed to get answers.

“Thank you, Winston. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me here, I really do. But I just… want to know where I am and why I’m really here.”  

“Oh… you’re right. Of course.”

His cheerful demeanour faltered in a moment, adjusting his expression into a more serious one as he prepared his next words. You sat with bated breath, but readier than ever to learn the truth of this situation. All the tensions and the reactions up until now only fed on your curiosity, and while you knew something strange was amiss here… it did not make it any less scary waiting to hear Winston’s explanation.

“This place that you’re being treated at right now… you might have suspected this already, but this is no normal hospital. Me and Dr Ziegler are no normal individuals. Right now, you’re located in a small, underground medical facility. A secret medical facility that is located at the base of Watchpoint Gibraltar. The base that belongs to the organisation Overwatch. And right now, you’re under the care of Overwatch. Everything here belongs to Overwatch. We’re… Overwatch.”

You might have been less surprised if Winston told you he really was going to eat you instead. But this? _This_ was insane.

Growing up as a young girl after the omnic crisis had long ended, even you had heard of Overwatch. As little as you had known of it, you had been told it was an organisation consisting of the most powerful and talented soldiers throughout the whole world. They saved everyone, and for decades they were beloved because of it. But Overwatch… had been dead for years now. Dead way past your time, and far past its former prime. Actually, it should not have still even existed, it should have been gone, having been branded _illegal_. So what Winston was saying right now… he surely couldn’t have been talking of the real Overwatch.

“Overwatch…? You can’t possibly mean _that_ Overwatch, can you? But I thought that organisation had disbanded long ago… my parents told me all the stories but, that was years ago now…”  

“Actually, I really am being serious right now… Both myself and Doctor Ziegler are Overwatch agents ourselves. We still have the same goals as we previously did, we’re trying to save the world, just like we had done back then. I know Overwatch was shut down up until this point, but recently we were recalled. Recalled by well- me.”

Winston gave a sheepish chuckle as you remained completely bewildered at the new information. According to the world, you should not have possibly believed the things he was telling you. But you could not deny the fact, that his words truly seemed they were sincere… that he was telling the truth.

“But…  Overwatch is this big and powerful organisation- Just what brought me to a place like this?”   

“Well… that’s the important part.”

Your gaze shot up to meet with Winston’s, and his glimmering amber eyes swirled with pity… and guilt.

“The crash you were in, it was actually caused by two Overwatch agents. It wasn’t intentional, of course, but that responsibility still rests on all of our shoulders. And as you know you, were critically injured. The agents panicked, we all panicked. We’d never experienced a situation like this before… But in the end, saving your life was all that mattered, and we took those risks to assure that. Exposing ourselves to a civilian or any outsider for that matter is forbidden. But we have some of the best doctors and scientists in the world here. Only they had the power to save you. We had to take the chance, no matter how slim it may have been.”

You couldn’t muster yourself to ask another question. Overwatch had _saved you_. You, a stranger they had no obligation of saving. You felt your heart throb, knowing that these obviously amazing and goodhearted people, had gone out of their way to save just a simple person like you. It would have been easy to leave you at a local hospital and hope for the best, but they did everything possible to save your life. It confused you. Confused you knowing that such selfless people like this existed. And you were left without any more words. What could you possibly say to Winston now, after you had given him such looks of distrust before?  

“We don’t regret what we did, not one bit. You were saved, and I couldn’t be happier you pulled through, despite the odds against you. However…”

That word broke you out of your daze, lifting your head to see Winston wearing the same serious expression on his face. But this time it felt hardened somewhat, with the friendly atmosphere that was previously surrounding him, dispersing. 

“Although we knew the risk in exposing you to our organisation, our base and our members… that doesn’t mean there doesn’t still need to be a price paid for it. As you know, our organisation is illegal. Which means all of our activity has to be strictly secret, at least for now. And… we’ve exposed Overwatch to you, you’ve seen the faces of some of its agents... If you were to go back to the world and leak any information about us. It could be dire in what we’re trying to achieve…"

You attempted to follow with what Winston was trying to get at. But the uncomfortable feeling you developed felt like a warning that the direction this was going, was not going to be anything pleasant. With that guilty tone in his voice and the way he tried to avoid eye contact with you, the tension flooded up inside you. His deadly serious attitude throughout his speech made your stomach twist uncomfortably, and your chest tighten painfully. Deep down, you somehow knew what he was going to say, but it did not make it any less painful when you finally heard it.

“Which means from today on, you cannot leave this base. Which also means… you cannot return to your home. With the sheer amount of risk we would be taking in sending you back… I’m so sorry. But you can no longer return to your old life.”

The fact that you knew he had worded it as gently as he could have, made the heartache pain you even more. Your breath hitched in your throat, your eyes slowly widening as you tried to pinch yourself awake from this terrible nightmare. To escape this awful situation that could only have surfaced in a dream. But no matter how hard you pinched, nothing was going to wake you up.

Thinking back to those days on Kings Row; your simple walks along the concrete streets of troubled and broken London, the sounds that came from your sweet music as the dim lights of the bars shadowed over you, closing the curtains and shutting away the world, still ignoring those cowering omnics. Still ignoring all that chaos around you.

_You wished you had shut yourself in even tighter._

Winston took obvious notice of your deep silence, leaning closer and placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Hey… are you okay? O-of course you’re not… I’m really so sorry. So sorry that-“

“Watchpoint Gibraltar. That’s… not actually in Gibraltar, right? It’s still got to be in London, right…?”

You turned to Winston, the tears forming in your eyes as you stared emptily back into his gaze. And now the Gorilla suddenly seemed more concerned than sorrowful.

“No, I’m sorry… just like the name states, we’re not in the- Hey! What are you doing?!”

It is not like you’d even attempted to listen to the remainder of his sentence, as your body moved on instinct. Lashing away the bedsheets and suddenly beginning to rip out every single wire that had been sunk deep into your skin. You tore them away without a second thought, not paying attention to any pain, or the trickles of blood dripping to the bed until you had finally freed yourself of what felt like your chains. Spinning your body around to sit at the edge of the bed, preparing yourself to step out.

“Please be careful! Your body has only just recovered- it’ll be hard for you if you try to walk now-“

Whatever Winston had to say washed by your ears, as despite whatever warnings you lunged out of the hospital bed. And as anyone could have expected, you had instantly begun falling face forward towards the ground. Thankfully however, Winston had foreseen the fall and stopped you before the impact.

“I told you, you shouldn’t have done that!”

Winston’s voice didn’t indicate any hint of anger, only deep concern as he tried to keep you stabilized in his huge arms. But you couldn’t stand to be in this room for a second longer. You had to believe this was a dream, or a prank, or anything. You needed to go outside and see with your own eyes, prove to yourself, that none of this was happening.

“Let me go!”

You yelped, and the Gorilla flinched at your tone. You were not surprised, sure you might have seemed meek when you had first awoken, but anyone with a situation as crazy as this would eventually give up on the formalities. Right now, none of it even mattered to you anyway.

“Please! I just need to see, I need to see for myself that this is real!”

Somehow you managed to squirm out of the other's grip, tumbling down to your knees but soon getting back up. Clinging to the walls as you somehow managed to shuffle towards the doorway. Opening it up and almost collapsing into the hallway ahead of you.

It was dim, not nearly as bright as it had been in your room but not dark either. From what it seemed like it was empty, everyone else probably in their rooms. And there was no medical staff hanging around here at least. But like Winston had said this was only a small place, and so the stairway leading up to the outside was already visible in sight.

Whether Winston simply let you go or perhaps was calling others, you didn’t know, as he did not follow after you. You moved as fast as you could, shimmying yourself against the walls and practically dragging your feet behind you. At least thankfully, movement felt like it was slowly seeping back into the once lifeless area. But the fact you were pushing your body after only just waking from a two-week coma, did not stop the feeling of vomit rising in your throat. You managed to fight it back, your pace picking up the closer you were to reach the stairway.

You got there soon enough and did not hesitate in crawling up the cold, hard metal. Still stabilizing yourself with your hands, you steadily climbed the small flight of stairs. Despite being underground, you must not have been as deep as you had thought. As all it took was a few short flights and you reached the doorway. A small window in the centre that shining a golden, warm light against your cheeks.

It only took you a second and you had flung open the door. Soaking up a hard breath of fresh air and stumbling to the ground. Climbing out of there had been no small feat, and you were already exhausted from straining your body so much. But it didn’t matter because as you sat yourself up, you only looked out to what was beyond you.

The golden, evening glow of the sun cast upon your surroundings. Painting the area in a deep but soothing orange colour. And right before your eyes, clashed the waves of a vast and similarly orange sea against the cliff's edge. The splashing of water hitting hard rock ringing in your ears. You spotted the boats in the distance and heard the coos of seagulls passing by overhead. But what enveloped all your senses, was the sight of those waves, staring mercilessly right back at you.

There was no snow, no gritty streets, no more King's Row. Just that vast, empty sea, your home a thousand miles beyond it, as it mocked you with each clash of its waves. Tears streamed down your cheeks, tasting as salty as the air around you did. As the situation you were now in, finally hit you.

Your old life was truly gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of the Junk boy's appearance, I promise that he'll definitely appear in chapter 3!
> 
> I truly appreciate all the kudos/comments <3 I hope this story seems enjoyable for you so far!


	3. The Girl Named Lena Oxton

It had been little over a week that had passed since you had learned you would not be leaving Watchpoint Gibraltar. And in all that time, you hadn’t even been able to leave your hospital bed either. Your body still had still not fully recovered, according to Dr Ziegler, and even more especially so since that small episode of yours. As pushing your body to its limits in attempting to escape outside, was not the brightest idea for your newly awoken state.  

Since then, everyone seemed to take extra care in being very gentle with you. Perhaps too gentle. You’d been assured countless times that you were no prisoner, that once you were discharged you could roam the base freely. But that wasn’t exactly enough to ease your discomfort for the whole situation. You were still being _forced_ to stay here, no matter freely you could live in this place. So, erasing the feeling that you were captive here still felt impossible.

Most of your recovery time was spent with the silence of your room. Mercy would drop by now and again, and even Winston came to check once. Though the whole encounter was still very awkward. Other than that, it was only various medical staff delivering your meals or maybe just coming to check you weren’t attempting an escape. You learned to value the time you had with your own company, as you were still slowly trying to come to terms with your new situation. Taking this time with yourself, as hard as it was, to attempt to finally accept that this was going to be your new life, and nothing would change it. But that had yet to happen.

On an odd day, you endured slight physical therapy to help adjust to walking again. But your coma had not been a long one, so it was not too difficult to get the hang of it again. Besides that, you wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of this room. You couldn’t stand staring at these bare white walls any longer. The bleak atmosphere and dry smells were enough to almost slowly drive you insane.

However, one small comfort that continued to surprise you was the beautiful sight of the bouquet of orchids, being replaced every few days when they showed signs of wilting. Flowers were only usually delivered by friends or family to show concern and empathy for your wellbeing. But your family wasn’t here, so you couldn’t have imagined who they came from. You only assumed it was Mercy’s doing, as she was the one delivering them, though not admitting they were from her. While doctors weren’t usually the ones leaving their patients flowers, you assumed that she was only trying to liven your spirits somewhat. That made you slightly more thankful, but even still, you couldn’t wait to leave this room.  

Thankfully like the true Angel she was, Mercy answered your prayers the morning she walked in and announced you could finally leave this white prison.

“Everything has been checked out, you’re completely free to leave this room. I’m so sorry you were stuck here for so long, but we needed to make sure. A proper room has been organised for you, I’ll take you there. So please prepare yourself and I’ll come collect you once you’re ready.”

Her expression read that she was just as thankful to see you leave here than you were yourself. Probably aware of the frustration that had been building up from staying in the same room for so long. She really was a kind and gentle woman, and you knew, every time you met with her eyes that she still felt the blame for your situation. You could imagine that in her mind, her having decided to bring you here and perform the surgery meant this was all her fault. But you didn’t blame her in the slightest. She always had good intentions, and if not for her, you truly would be dead. And while you paid a heavy price for that now, you were still thankful for all she’d done. She was a good person, you were sure everyone here were good people too. But this wasn’t your home… or your place. And it would still take a while for you to truly adapt to that.

You had been provided with some clothing, it appeared to be a normal tracksuit but wore the colours and logo of Overwatch. You had to assume it was some spare uniform or training gear. It was slightly baggy on you, but anything was better than those hospital gowns, so you were thankful for the change. When you’d finally readied yourself, you called Mercy back in. Directing you a smile, she ushered you to follow her, and you did. Biding a happy goodbye to the dull room, desperately hoping you’d never have to see it again.

 

...

 

You followed your doctor through the various hallways. You had no things to bring with you as anything you had in your possession before the accident had either been destroyed or lost. So despite being on a move, it felt a little empty. You noticed as you travelled the vast base that it seemed rather quiet for what should be a top-class organisation. The odd agents that passed by on occasion gave you small stares but mostly just kept at their work. Yet it still seemed there were only a small amount of people actually here. You wondered where everyone might be, and assumed they were out on missions or doing field work- whatever work this kind of place did. You then thought back on Winston’s words and recalled him mentioning they had only recently started Overwatch up again. So perhaps they had yet to recall other members or recruit new ones. Either way, roaming a base of the legendary Overwatch was not what you expected.

As you turned on what you hoped might be the hall of your living quarters, you almost bumped your head into Mercy’s back when she suddenly slowed her steps. You paused, looking past her shoulder to meet where her gaze was directed.

Ahead of you was a girl. With short and spiked chestnut locks, big goggles framing most of her face where amber eyes rested beneath. You could notice the small brown freckles hidden behind most of her eyewear, and the cheerful aura she seemed to emit. She wore a strange looking outfit, with an even stranger device strapped to her chest that glowed a bright, vivid blue. Leaning against the wall, it seemed as if she was waiting for someone. And you soon learned that someone might have been you. As when she took notice of you and Mercy, her face lit up like a Christmas tree and in unfathomable speed, she was right before your eyes. A huge grin covering her child-like features.

“Hey, Doc! Bout’ time you got here, what took cha so long?”

You instantly took notice of the British twang in her voice, and both your ears and eyes perked up at the new information. Staring at the stranger expectantly, you watched on as Mercy answered the stranger.

“Now, now. We weren’t long at all! You’re just being impatient, Lena.”

Mercy gave a small huff and turned around to face you, stepping out of your view so you were no longer hiding behind her back.

“Dear, this is Lena. She’s another agent here at Overwatch, she’s going to show you around your room and help you get settled in. I would do so myself, but I’m too occupied with my patients… Is that alright with you?”

Your eyes cast between the doctor and the newly found stranger, both looking at you with big expectant eyes. But before you could even get a chance to answer, the girl named Lena chirped in, cutting through the middle of your interaction.

“Hiya! I’m Lena, also known as Tracer! We haven’t met but I’ve heard a lot about you, don’t worry love, I’m here to help you out!”

Just as quickly as the words had left her mouth, she was now stood directly in front of you. Her hands eagerly grabbing yours as she began attempting to suddenly pull you away, sending you a small wink as she did.

“Well uh- I suppose so-“

“Great! Leave it to me, Doc’ I can take care of her!”

“Ah, Lena-!”

Mercy tried to intervene but was much too slow for the others pace, as before you knew it she was dragging you away, practically running down the hallway with you. As you could only look back on Mercy’s distant figure, with an anxious expression on your face. You spot the small and seemingly apologetic wave before she disappeared from your sight completely.

Tracer took you through a few more doorways and turns, but it didn’t last long as you eventually stopped at a big, metal door. A golden plaque by the side which read ‘D15’

There was a small device by the door, where Tracer let go of your hand to press a few buttons on the screen, the door soon sliding open. The girl was just as eager to get you inside as she was, as you were once again pulled along by her fast pace.

The room wasn’t exactly the biggest of places, but it was spacious enough for you. There was a large bed in the middle, a desk by the window, and a few drawers and chests scattered elsewhere. With a mountain of boxes obvious in one corner of the room. It was mostly bare, for now. As it looked like it had never even been used, or at least very little, with empty blue walls and a neat and unscathed carpet.

You couldn’t detect much detail as it was mostly covered in darkness until Tracer quietly muttered a “Lights on” and light suddenly poured into the room. You thought now that this must be your new room, and it was surprisingly a lot nicer than you were initially expecting.

“So, what d’ya think?”

Your attention was drawn back to the excitable girl as you cast her a glance before surveying your surroundings in more detail.

“It’s… nice. Has this never been used before?”

“Well, not recently. Maybe it was used in the old days but we’re talking years ago… so yeah! Basically, like a brand-new room!”

She chuckled and suddenly darted to the other side of the room, beginning to rummage through the boxes set in one corner. Which suddenly made you realise how odd her movements had been up until now. She had such an unusual speed… so fast it was almost like she was teleporting. It would eat away at your mind if you didn’t ask, so you decided to.

“Excuse me… but, just how are you moving so fast like that?”

She didn’t turn around, but you knew she’d heard your question with the small hum that left her. As she continued to rummage for whatever she was searching through, she answered your question with her back still turned.

“Ah sorry about that love, I forgot you wouldn’t know about that… umm, how do I explain this?”

Finally, her head whipped around, and she wore a contemplative expression on her face. Resting her fingers under her chin as if the question wasn’t easy to answer.

“The thing is, and this might sound crazy, but I’m disconnected from time itself… if that makes any sense at all? It happened because of an accident a long time ago. But it means I can time-travel, almost. I can move through time to get to a place faster… or rewind to get back to a place I once was. But ah… really you should ask Winston if you wanna know more! He knows more about sciency-things. Or maybe we can grab a cup of tea sometime, and I’ll tell you the whole story.”

Suddenly she stood up, her hands full with a bundle of clothes as she gave a warm smile.

“You should probably get used to this… hearing bizarre stories. Just about everyone here has one. I mean you already met Winston, didn’t you? Haha!”

You were not quite sure how to describe it, but there was something very warm about Tracer’s personality. Even as she described what seemed like the impossible to you, she did it in a way that made it seem completely believable. And so nonchalantly it could have been like she could have been talking about something so simple as the weather. But she made a point, Overwatch was far from an ordinary place. With far from ordinary people. If they already had a talking Gorilla, then a time-warping girl couldn’t seem so crazy.

“You know, you’re right. I’m not going to ask anymore, or my head might explode… but it’s nice to meet you, Tracer.”

“Lena is just fine you know; my agent name is only really used out in the field. Here at the base, everyone usually goes by their first names. It’s fine for you to drop the formalities too, you know?”

“Alright then… Lena, it is.”

You couldn’t help but let a smile escape you. With all that had happened in these short few weeks, Lena felt like a breath of fresh air. Sure, she seemed a little quirky, but she had probably been the most welcoming person you’d met since you got here. Probably because she wasn’t treating you like some recovering patient, and her eyes were the first to meet yours without any pity or guilt. It was like she’d already accepted you as part of the Overwatch team, even if you hadn’t.

Only until she’d zipped back to where you were standing, did you realise that the bundle of clothes she’d been holding looked familiar. As she neatly placed the pile on the bed, it suddenly hit you that those clothes were unmistakably your own.

“Wait… aren’t these my clothes? How did you-“

“Couldn’t just let ya’ go on without any clothes now, could we? And buying you new ones wouldn’t do any good. In fact, we’ve got almost all your belongings right here! Since you can’t go back home… well, least we could do was try to bring as much of home back to you.”

Lena’s words touched you. You could never have expected that they would have been this considerate of you. As you rushed to check the contents of the boxes, you confirmed for yourself that they had, in fact, brought the majority of your things. And when you finally spotted the guitar case in the far back of the pile, your heart sored in your chest.

“My guitar!”

You leapt towards the case, almost tumbling over the remaining boxes as you grabbed a hold of it and pulled it close. Quickly unzipping it and revealing the smooth, sleek guitar that had been neatly tucked beneath. You pulled it out and couldn’t stop yourself from hugging it to your chest. Lena took notice, her eyes softening as she watched your gleeful expression.

“So, you like to play, huh?”

“I do! And this guitar… its important to me. I bought this guitar when I turned sixteen years old… and ever since it’s a passion of mine. I guess it always has. I like writing songs and performing at places, so that’s why I-“  

You suddenly cut yourself off when you realised what you were about to say. ‘I play it for a living’ But now that was no longer the case. There would be no opportunities for you briefly share your passion with the world. Now it would only be a hobby. No longer the actual profession you’d always dreamed of developing.

In only a few moments, that sudden rush of excitement had melted away, and you were back in your thoughts of home and how much you were going to miss it. Lena took obvious notice of your pause, feeling bad for how sullen your mood had turned. But she managed to speak up, in attempts to try and lift your spirits again.

“Hey, you know, I’d love to hear you play sometime. In fact, we have a fellow musician of our own here at the base! He’s only new around here, but I bet you’d get along well with him. I should introduce you sometime!”

That same smile you were growing fonder of, never left her face, and you could swear it was contagious. As soon enough you were smiling yourself, setting the guitar back down and getting back to your other things.

“Sounds good, I’d like that. I’ll definitely play something for you sometime. Although actually…something that’s been bothering me. Just how exactly did you get my things? How did you know where I lived?”  

“Ah… haha, about that…”

Lena gave a sheepish chuckle as she awkwardly scratched her head. Her smile becoming a rather awkward one.

“We had to research that and well… we have our ways of tracking these sorts of things. You can probably tell from my accent but just like you, I’m a Londoner myself. I have a flat that’s close by to you. So, sending me to get your stuff was easiest. As for getting in once I had found it, well… I had to break in- but I promise I didn’t damage anything! I just grabbed as much as I could and slipped right back out! Still… sorry for… invading your home like that. And sorry you couldn’t be the one to get your own things.”

Her expression was suddenly very apologetic, and her eyes didn’t quite meet yours as she continued folding up your clothes. You had to let out a little chuckle.

“It’s fine Lena, you don’t need to be sorry. It’s not like any of this is your fault. Thank you for getting my things, I really appreciate it.”

She seemed to relax at your words, that iconic smile morphing across her face again as both of you got back to your things. You both spent the time ahead going through everything. Putting things away and organising your drawers, while setting things up like pictures and other small decorations. You guided her on where you wanted things to go, and she got through it quickly with that handy time-travelling quirk. And soon enough, you could finally step back and look around at a now more homely-feeling room. A touch of you now fused within it. This at least could make you feel more secure.

“It looks great in here! We did a good job, dint’ we?”

She grinned up at you with expectant eyes, and you gave her a grin back, nodding your head.

“Yeah! Thank you again, Lena, for all the help. I feel a bit better now.”

“Good! Happy to help. If you ever need anything, my room is ‘A3’ give me a knock and I’ll be there for anything you need. If you ever get lost with directions, Athena can help. You can summon her through the pad by your door and she can show you around! She’s the AI mastermind around here.”

You nodded, still feeling unsure of the whole thing, but too tired to ask any more questions today.

“I sure will. It was nice meeting you, I’m so thankful you were here to help! But I’m good for today, I think I’ll rest here for a while.”

“No problem. I’m your friend, you know? Don’t be shy, hehe. Oh! And by the way, if you want any food later, the mess hall is where you get it. It’s open most of the day but there’s more food at meal times. People don’t really have our own kitchens because most of us aren’t here a lot of the time. But if you’re fine with finding your own way there, I’ll get going now, yeah?”

Lena started towards the door, tapping the panel with her small fingers and letting it slide open. You walked towards her to see her off, gracing her with a kind smile.

“Yeah that’s fine, I’m not so hungry yet anyway… I’ll see you around, Lena.”

“And you too, new girl! See ya!”

She gave a signature wink before she was gone in a blue flash of speed. Zipping down the hallway and giggling all the same.

What a strange girl, but a kind one nonetheless. She seemed to be the picture-perfect image of a hero. So, no wonder she was here at Overwatch, she deserved a place here. And you imagined with her bright and humorous personality, that you could trust and rely on her when you needed to.

However, after such a first meeting, you were already tired. Sighing as the door closed behind you and you flopped back-first onto the bed. Staring up at the ceiling.

This was it, this would be the ceiling you would wake up to every morning from now on. Deep down, you were still hoping all this could still just be a dream. That you wouldn’t have to live in such an unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers who could or could not be completely trustworthy. There was too much to mull and worry over, and frankly you felt like all your energy had already been exhausted for the day. For now, you didn’t want to keep thinking about any of your problems. Just to relax in a room that smelled faintly of your old home and take solace in that.

Before you knew it, your eyes were fluttering closed. And you bundled up beneath your covers, welcoming the sleep that was overcoming you. You’d let yourself rest, as at least in the few moments of sleep you wouldn’t have to think about anything.

 

...

 

What Lena had told you of Athena was correct, once you had managed to summon her, she’d provided you clear directions to the mess hall. Even displaying a small map for you to follow. You learned you were not so far from the place either way, so it was relatively easy to find. From growing up in such a vast city such as London, being good with directions was pretty much essential to get around the bustling streets. So, your sense of direction had always been good and came in handy when exploring new environments such as this.

It was around evening time as you reached the large area of the canteen. Tables were spread out far and wide in the large space. With a wide set of windows on one side the of wall, that streamed golden rays across the area.

Despite how large the area was, however, there were not many people sat around. Most of the tables were left empty, even with the decent number of people in here. The old Overwatch would likely have seen this place swarming back in the old days, but those old days were gone. And you imagined trying to rebuild what once was, was no easy task.

Still, you welcomed the quietness as you nervously walked through the area. Feeling out of place and anxious that everyone might turn and stare once they spotted you. Thankfully they didn’t, as they seemed occupied in their own conversations and food. So, you were able to slip by and make your way towards the counter where the food was served. It didn’t seem like you needed to pay, not like you had any money to begin with. But instead they’d hand out portions of whatever was available. Definitely not something you’d ever been used to, but I guess this was just how groups like these worked.

As you deliberated over the meal choices, the voices around you seemed to grow a lot rowdier. And your attention couldn’t help but be captured when a loud voice began bouncing off the walls.

“Mate, I’m telling ya! It’s going to be HUGE! And by huge, I mean, extremely explody! Hahahah! It’s me’ biggest creation yet and you can’t miss it this time! You hear me?”

“… Hm.”

“Ohhh it makes me wanna blow something up already…! Geh, but stupid big-boss Donkey Kong will just complain again.”

“… Hm.”

“Oi… Are you even listening to me?!”

“… Hm.”

“Oi, Roadie?!”

As you turned your head to the source of all the racket, you were met with quite the sight. Two men had appeared, and as they walked through the mess hall their tall and looming figures over-towered almost everything in sight. Their appearances had to have been the most bizarre you had seen yet. As the largest of the two, a man of a frightening size wore a dark, pig-shaped mask over his face. Only tuffs of greyed hair could be seen poking out from behind. He wore next to nothing that could be considered a shirt, as it was simply a harness that covered most of his shoulders and upper body. A large and fiery tattoo was visible on the skin of his stomach which read ‘Wild’ along with an image of a pig right at the centre near his belly button. You might have chuckled at that, if not for the menacing hook that was hanging by his side. You could have imagined what that was possibly used for.

However, he was far from the loudest, even if his steps echoed in the room. As it was the figure by his side, the shorter of the pair, but still alarmingly tall who was making all the noise. Now the other was not even wearing a shirt, his whole chest exposed as only patched and torn shorts hung from his waist. Dirt was practically over every inch of him, covered in a dark substance which you couldn’t imagine might be. He wore a peg leg which creaked with every step he took, and a metal arm which swung around with his other as he gestured around wildly. But what stood out and perhaps alarmed you the most, was his hair. As it was literally aflame from the very tips. From what you could detect, it was blonde and spiky but appeared darker due to dirt and other substances. Yet right at the tips, a smoke trail was left behind as he walked ahead. And it was unfathomable to imagine how it even possibly worked, but hey, this _was_ Overwatch.

Their appearances were unlike anything you had ever seen, and you knew already they were most certainly oddities. As the shorter one spoke out, you detected the obvious Australian accent that was laced in his words. Even with how interesting his voice and mannerisms were. And you suddenly became even more curious just to who these gentlemen were. Not being able to stop yourself from staring at the two as they sauntered inside.

What you were not prepared for, however, was when your eyes suddenly met with the spiky-haired one. And you noticed his eyes were the colour of a beautiful fiery-amber. You froze on the spot as those intense eyes were now boring into your own. But what caught you off guard the most, was how the man's expression seemed to shift. First squinting in curiosity, but then suddenly widening in what seemed like a mixture of shock and bewilderment. His mouth fell slightly agape as the intensity of his stare only grew harder, his eyes not leaving yours for a second. And the feeling of a cold sweat suddenly overcame you. Just why on earth was someone so dangerous-looking, staring at you like that?

Still, even with how he was staring, you could only stare back. Not pulling your own gaze away as you tried to detect the meaning hidden behind his stare. You were unable to, however, when you were all of a sudden pulled away from the moment as a voice overlapped your thoughts.

“Heya!”

You turned around to the source of the voice and caught the familiar glimpse of short-brown locks and big, framed goggles. As she called your name, you momentarily forgot about your encounter and gave her a small wave. It only took a second and she’d warped right by your side, her freckled-peppered face alive with a smile.

“Having trouble deciding?”

Her gaze followed up to the menu that was displayed on the screen above your heads. And you became aware again of where you were and what you originally came here to do.

“Oh um… sort of-“

You felt flustered from being suddenly caught off guard. But the image of that man’s stare and the expression on his face couldn’t leave your mind. So you quickly turned head back around once more, in search for the two once again. But unexpectantly, their figures had disappeared. And despite having such an overwhelming presence as soon as they’d walked into the room, it seemed they were now nowhere in sight. The curiosity inside you burned even hotter, as something about that encounter, and those men were extremely odd… and you couldn’t put your finger on the sensation you felt from it.

“Hey… is something wrong?”

You whipped your head back around to face Lena, her face bundled up in confusion as she stared back at you. You shook your head lightly to eradicate your jumbled thoughts, giving her a short smile as you answered her.

“No, no. It’s fine! I’m not sure what to order hmm… I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

You answered her nonchalantly as you focused your attention back on the dinner that awaited you. Lena still seemed curious but accepted your answer nonetheless, as the both of you finally got in line to collect the food.

However, that nagging feeling at the back of your mind was still trying to tell you something. Telling you that the man’s intense stare was something more than you thought. That the both of those men had something more about them. And oddly enough, you felt desperately curious to figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updated and already working on chapter 4. It should be out soon and there will finally be some real Junkrat and reader interaction- yay!! 
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments once again <3 I'm really hoping that you enjoy! Don't hesitate to leave any critique in the comments section, as that can really help me out!


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